Collapsible valve for milking machines



March 1, 1955 A. G. PERKlNs 2,703,l00

COLLAPSIBLE VALVE FOR MILKING MACHINES Original Filed Oct. 30, 1948ATTORNEY United States Patent O zfioalooA COLLAPSIBLE VALVE FOR AlbertG. Perkins, Grand Island, N. Y,

Original application October 30, 1'948, Serial NO. 57,609,

now Patent No. 2,558,152, dated June 26, 1951. Divided and thisapplication February 6, 1951, SerialiNo. ,209,636

8 Clailns. (Cl. 137,-4`55) This invention relates to certain new anduseful improvements in valves, but more particularly to a valve for usein fluid pressure lines such, for example, as the milk flow lines ofautomatic milking machines,` and is a division of my application SerialNo. 57,609, filed October 30, 1948, now Patent No. 2,558,152.

It has for its primary object to provide a valve ,of

line to a closed position and adapted for movement therewith to anexpanded open position.

Other features of the invention reside in the construction andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointedouttin the appended claims.

In the accornpanying drawings:

Figure l is a fragmentary side view of a milkmg machine showing acontrol unit connected 'thereto and embodying my valve. Figure 2.is anenlarged longitudinal section of the control unit showing the valve init s open position. Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of thecontrol unit showing theivalve inits closed or contracted position.Figure 4 is a cross section taken substantially in the plane of line4f-.-4, Figure 2. Figure 5 is a detached perspective view of one of thetube Sections or valve members constituting my invention,

Similar characters of reference indicate Cor-rcsponding parts throughoutthe several views.

, By way of example, I have shown my improved valve in connection with acontrol unit for milking machines, disclosed in my aforesaid applicationSerial No. 57,609, such unit being designed to automatically cut off thevacuum in the milk flow connection to the teat Cup when the surge ofmilk from the Companion quarter' of the cows bag substantially ceases,'to thereupon cause that cup to be released. and drop by grevity fromlthe cow and eflectually Preveut injury vto the cow from overmllkmg-This control unit is indicated generally by the numeral and isinterposed in the flexible mili; tube o r hose Con' nection 11 which hasa teat cnp 1,2 at one end and is connected at its other end to themilk-receiving can 13 of the milking machine- The control unit consistsof a body or casing 14 having a partition 15 therein dividing it into alower Chamber 16 and an upper chamber or reservoir 17 each adapted to befilled with a fluid and in fluid communication With each other through avent port 18 and a check valve controlled port 19 for automaticallygoverning the-interfiow of fluid in aCCordance with a change in thevacuum which 'takes place during the milking operation. One of the wallsof the chamber 17 has a displaceable diaphragm '20 which contracts orexpands during the interflow of fluid from one chamber to the other. Thevent port 18 constitutes a by-pass between the chambers 16, 17 and is inthe form of a pioneer 21 freely movable to a. limited extent in an openended cylinder :2. 2 `formod viii the oasng,

the clearance between the plunger and Cylinderbeing such as to provide aby-pass of substantially capillary dimensions for the flow of fluidbetween the Chambers. The port 19 is normally closed by a check valve 23including a spring for urgng it downwardly to a closed position.

ICC

'-duit section or valve member 25 of rubber or likeV material extendingfrom end to end of such lower Chamber `in` fluid-sealed relation theretoand in interposed milk flow communication with the teat connection 11.The central .or 'intermediate portion of the valve member Suspendedwithin this chamber and which is adapted to be contracted or collapsedfrom the open position shown in' Figure 2 to the closed position shownin Figure 3, is somewhat laterally enlarged or widened intoelliptieal-like cross section with substantially flat top and bottomsurfaces to more readily respond to a Collapsing of the .valve member toa shut olf position by the vacuurn in the system when the Companionbag-quarter is substantially milked out. This valve member has flangedattaching collars at its ends which snugly fit the bores of the.casing-nipples 24 and detachably retain such member against axial.displacement Applied to the diametrically opposite or top and bottomfaces of the valve member to move therewith toward and from each otherto cause its .contraction along a transverse plane or line to .a closedposition are flat plates 26, 26 having oppositelyfacing jaws orelements`27 at one end for b'iting into and contracting the valve memberto a closed or sealed position; These jaw-plates may be suitablyfastened to attaching plates 28 embedded in the top and bottom walls ofthe valve member. For the purpose of uniformly guidingv-the jaw-platesin their contracting and expanding movements I provide their other endswith opposing laterally-spaced hinge ears 2.9V joined by transversepintles 30 .at opposite sides of the valve member and in the axial Planethereof. While the elasticity of the rubber valve member wouldnormallyurge the jaw-plates to their expanded position shown in Figure2, I preferably employ coil Springs 31 between such plates along theopposite sides of the valve member with the legs 32 |thereof detachablyfitted in Corresponding openings in the plates. To insure the Closing ofthe valve member at its resulting erimped or folded ends, when the jawplates are contracted, such ends are recessed, as indicated at 33, toreduce the thickness of the valve-walls at those points. -V'ent passages(not shown) are provided in the teat connection at either side of the'valve control unit to properly vent the same to the atmosphere afterthe Companion quarter of the cow's bag has been milked out and the tubesection contracted to its closed'p'osition to permit the corresponding.teat cup to 'drop from the cow and the displaced or contraeted parts ofthe control unit to ,return to their initial or normal position.

During the contraction of the valve member 25 to shut .off the `vcuum to'the teat cup, the flow of fluid from the upper to the lower chamber ofthe control unit through the'capillary, plunger-valve-Controlled port 18is Comparatively slow to atford a gradual contraction of the valvemember with the jaw-plates 26 contracting therewith to effectually anduniformly seal it closed when the flow of mlk from the cow substantiallyvceases. The teat cup thereupon drops from the cow and the contractedvalve member and its jaw plates subsequently return to their initialposition and the displaced fluid is returned from thelower chamber 16 tothe upper cham- `her 17 through the check valve Controlled port 19.

In operation, each control unit operates independently to shut off thevacuurn to its teat cup when the cornpanion quarter of the Cows bag ismilked out, the vacuvum-at that time being substantially Constant in theunit and .C-ausing `the latter to assume the position shown in Figure 3,with the valve member 25 drawn together and vfsealed to a shut ofiposition by the plates 26. During 'resulting displacement of the fluidfrom the reservoir 17 to the chamber 16 through the vent port 18 and thejaw plates 26 contract with the valve member to elfectually seal it. Thehinging of the jaw plates to each other provides for the controlledcollapse of the valve member 25 and concentrates such collapse along atransverse line or plane, and these plates also function to maintain theoutlet or suction end of the valve member distended so that the pressuredifferential is maintained over the area thereof embraced by the jawplates. After sealing of the valve member in this manner, the provisionof the vent passages in the teat connection at either side of thecontrol unit allows atmosphere to be admitted thereto to cause theCompanion teat cup to drop from the cow and the displaced or contractedparts of the control unit to return to their initial position shown inFigure 2 and the displaced fiuid to return from the chamber 16 to thereservoir 17 through the port 19. During the normal milking operationwith milk surging through the unit, the valve member and its jaw platespartially collapse or fiuctuate somewhat in response to the Operatingcycle of the milking machine, but such displacement is not sufficient,because of the time element transpiring during such periods, to effectthe complete and sealed collapse of the valve member.

I claim as my invention:

l. A vacuum collapsible valve member for interposition in the milk fiowtube of a milking machine, comprising a tubular section of flexiblematerial and of a cross section to assume a flattened closed positiontransversely thereof When collapsed, and rigid, hingedly-connectedplates directly borne by and secured to the diametrically-opposite sidesof said tube section and constituting jaws contractible with suchsection, and a spring in operative relation to said plates for normallyurging the latter and the tube section to a distended open position.

2. A valve for use in the milk fiow tube of a milking machine,comprising a tube-like member having inlet and outlet attaching portionsat its ends adapted to be interposed in vacuum and milk flow relation tothe milk tube and a flexible intermediate portion with substantiallyfiat top and bottom walls having means attached thereto for normallyyieldingly resisting its collapse but adapted for collapse with suchportion by vacuum into transverse contacting relation to a vacuum andmilk shut ofi' position in response to a pressure differential in andabout the tube member when the flow of milk therethrough substantiallyceases, said means consisting of rigid, hingedly-connected platesattached to the flat top and bottom walls of said intermediate portionof the tube member and having a spring interposed therebetween normallyyieldingly retaning such portion in its distended position.

3. A valve for use in the milk fiow tube of a milking machine,comprising a tube-like member having attaching collars at its ends andan intermediate widened portion adapted for collapse by vacuum to a milkshut off position and having substantially flat exterior top and bottomsurfaces, plates attached to the top and bottom surfaces of the widenedportion of said tube-like member and hinged at one end to each other andhaving' oppositely-facing elements at their other ends for engagement ina transverse plane with such surfaces, and a spring disposed betweensaid plates normally urging them to a distended valve-opened position.

4. A vacuum collapsible normally open valve member, comprising a tubularsection of fiexible material and of a cross section capable of assuminga flattened closed position transversely thereof when collapsed, andrelatively rigid plate means extending longitudinally of said sectionand secured to the diametrically-opposite sides Vof said tube sectionintermediately of the ends of the plate means and being hingedlyinterconnected at one end to constitute jaws contractible with suchsection for collapsing the section adjacent the other end of said platemeans, said valve member comprising resilient biasing means urging thevalve toward its normally open position.

5. A vacuum collapsible normally open valve member for interposition inthe milk fiow tube of a milking machine, comprising a tubular section offlexible material having a fiow inlet end and a fiow outlet end, saidsection having a cross section capable of assuming a flattened closedposition transversely thereof when collapsed, and relatively rigid platemeans extending longitudinally of said section, said plate means beingsecured to the diametrically-opposite sides of said tube sectionintermediately of the ends of the plate means and being hingedlyinterconnected at the end of the plate means nearest said outlet end toconstitute jaws contractible with such section for collapsing thesection at the end of said plate means nearest said inlet end under theinuence of vacuum applied to the interior of said section from saidoutlet end, said valve member comprising resilient biasing means urgingthe valve toward its normally open position.

6. A vacuum collapsible normally open valve member for inter-position inthe milk fiow tube of a milking machine, comprising a tubular section offlexible material having fiow inlet and outlet ends, said section beingof a cross section capable of assuming a flattened closed positiontransversely thereof when collapsed, and jaw arm members disposed infianking relation to said section and extending longitudinally of saidsection from said outlet end to a plane transverse to the section andnear said inlet end, said arm members being hingedly interconnected attheir ends adjacent said outlet end and having opposinginwardly-directed jaw elements at their other ends for engaging saidtubular section to clamp the same at the jaw elements in said plane whenthe arm members are contracted, said arm members being secured todiametrically-opposite sides of said tube section intermediate of thehinged and jaw element ends of the arm members to be operativelycontracted by and upon contraction of said tubular section, said valvemember comprising resilient biasing means urging the valve toward itsnormally open position but permitting collapsing closure thereof at saidtransverse plane by suction applied within said section from said outletend and the force resulting therefrom as applied through said armmembers to the jaw elements.

7. A vacuum collapsible normally open valve member for inter-position inthe milk fiow tube of a milking machine, comprising a tubular section offlexible material having fiow inlet and outlet ends, said section beingof a cross section capable of assurning a fiattened closed positiontransversely thereof when collapsed, and a detachable clamp structureembracing said section, said clamp structure comprising jaw arm memberscxtending longitudinally of said section in flanking relation thereto,said arm members being hingedly interconnected at their ends nearestsaid outlet end and having opposing inwardly-directed jaw elements attheir other ends for engaging said tubular section to clamp the same ina transverse plane at said jaw elements when contracted, said armmembers being detachably secured to diametrically-opposite sides of saidtube section intermediate of the hinged and jaw element ends of the armmembers to be operatively contracted by such section upon contraction ofthe latter, said valve member comprising resilient biasing means urgingthe valve toward its normally open position but permitting collapsingclosure thereof at said jaw elements by suction applied within saidsection from said outlet end and the force resulting therefrorn asapplied through said arm members to the jaw elements.

8. A normally open vacuum collapsible valve for use in the milk fiowtube of a milking machine for closing the tube when the fiow of milktherethrough substantially ceases, comprising a tube-like member havinga fiow inlet end and a fiow outlet end and an intermediate widenedportion, said widened portion being of flexible material adapted forcollapsing contraction by vacuum to a milk shut off position and havingsubstantially flat exterior top and bottom surfaces, and rigid platesextending longitudinally along the top and bottom surfaces of thewidened portion of said tube-like member, said plates being hinged toeach other at their ends nearest said outlet end and havingoppositely-facing jaw elements, at their other ends for engagement in atransverse plane with such surfaces, said plates being secured to saidtop and bottom surfaces respectively along the extent thereof betweenthe hinged and jaw element ends of the plates for being contracted withsaid surfaces so as to exert a force to collapse the tube at said jawelements by and upon collapsing movement of said surfaces under theinfluence of suction applied from said outlet end, said valve comprisingresilient biasing means urging the valve-toward its normally openposition.

(References on following page) 2,708,100 5 References Cited in the fileof this patent 2,342,192

UNITED STATES PATENTS 525,816 Osborn Sept. 11, 1894 2,S72,658 844,410Schauer Feb. 19, 1907 5 973,704 Sabroe Oct. 25, 1910 1,586,923 TownsendJune 1, 1926 50', 791 1,683,322 Annis sept. 4, 1928 J'" 6 Grigsby Feb.22, 1944 Nordell Apr. 12, 1949 Perkins June 26, 1951 Perkins Oct. 23,1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Apr. 12, 1949

